Aeroplane



A. s. HEINRICH AEROPLANB Filed Feb; 2 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 avwantoz Oct. 20, 1925. 1,558,089

A. s. HEINRICH AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 0, 1922 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALBERT S. HEINRICH, OF FREEPORT, NEW YORK.

maornmn.

Application filed February 20, 1929. Serial No. 588,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Annnn'r S. Hnrmuon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Freeport, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to aeroplanes and more particularly to means for varying the effective span of the aeroplane wings or sustaining members.

In my application Serial No. 517,458 filed November 16, 1921, I have described and claimed a construction in which an increased span of wing area may be rovidcd when desired, the span also bein ecreased at will, this being accomplished by the provision of slidin auxiliary wing sections which are carried by the main wings and o erated by means under the control of t e aviator to move the same inwardly or outwardly.

My present invention covers a construction which is in some respects an improvement upon that described in the said applination. In the present construction the main wings of the aeroplane are provided with transverse upper and lower beams which are secured at their ends to forward and rear longitudinal beams, the auxiliary wing sections being slidably mounted between the upper and lower transverse beams and with their ends abuttin against the forward and rear longitudinal ams. By such a construction it is possible to provide a strong and rigid structure without undesirably increasing the thickness of section and weight of the main wings. In the pre ferred construction the transverse beams referred to extend partly above and partly below the outer surfaces of the main wings.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of the character referred to. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully in the following specification and be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In-order that the invention may be more clearly understood attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention. In the drawings- Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of an aeroplane equipped with one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken on line 22 of l ig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig 2, and B ig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated an acre lane having a' fuselage 1 provided with the cockpit 2 for the aviator and the main wings 3, 3. The machine may, of course, be provided with the usual controlling, steering, propelling and balancing elements which need not be described.

The auxiliary wing sections 4, 4, are slidably mounted on the main wings 3, 3, so as to be extensible beyond the same to increase the span and to be operable to draw the same inwardly, or towards the fusela Themain wings are provide with forward and rear beams 5, 5 which extend longitudinally of the wings throughout the length thereof. The main wings are also provided with u per and lower transverse earns 6, 6, whlch are firmly secured at their ends to the longitudinal beams 5, 5. These transverse beams 6, 6 maybe termed simple beams since their entire load is transmitted to their end supports 5, 5.

The auxiliary wing sections 4 are slidably mounted within the main wings between the upper and lower transverse beams 6, 6 and the forward and rear longitudinal beams 5, 5 Each auxiliary wing member 'is provided with longitudinal vertical beams 7, and with suitable transverse struts compris ing upper and lower flanges 8, 8, and suitable webs 9 secured to beams 7 and carrying the cap strips. The main wings are provided with upper and lower cover members indicated at 10, 10, and with forward and rear edge web members 11 and 12.

The upper surface of each auxiliary wing section 4 slides in contact with anti-friction bearing means indicated at 13, 13, carried by the upper transverse beams 6 and the lower surface of the auxiliary wing slides in contact with anti-friction means 13 carried by the lower transverse beams 6*, these upper and lower anti-friction bearing members engaging against the upper and lower surfaces of beams in t auxiliary wing section. Anti-friction bearings such as rollers 14, 14, are also provided at the forward nally of the other main wing. Shafts 15 and 15 are provided with external screwthreads or worms 16, 16, e of the same being right-handed and the ther left-handed. A hand wheel 17 adJacent to the operators seat in the cockpit is connected by suitable means such as shaft 18 and beveled gears 19, 20, to shaft 15 while the screwthreaded portions 16, 16 of shafts 15, extend through nuts 21 secured to the aux liary wing section's. With this construction it is obvious that rotation of the hand wheel 17 in one direction or the other w ll cause the simultaneous movement of the wing sections 4 inwardly or outwardly, these win sections each necessarily moving throng 1 the same distance as the other as they slide outwardly or'inwardly. a

Each of the beams 7 of an auxiliary wing section is referably formed of upper an lower tubu ar members 22 which are ]0iI16d together by vertical tubular members 23, and by diagonal braces (not shown) WhICh may be secured to flanges 23 The upper and lower end portions of vertical members 23 I extend partly around tubular members 22,

as is indicated at 24. Portions 24 of vertical members 22 are preferably provided with flanges 25 to which the u per and lower strips 26 are secured to exten longitudinally of the wing sections. Ball bearings 13, carried by transverse beams 6, 6 engage members 26, these ball bearings being of any suitable type, The webs 9 of the aux la win members 4 are suitably secured to ams l, asby means of rivets 27, as indicated in Fi 4. Each transverse beam 6, 6?, is of suite is truss form and preferably provided with a cover member 28.

The longitudinal forward andrear beams 5, 5, of each main wing are preferably oonstructed in the same manner a's'the' beams 7 to comprise upper and lower 'horizontaltubular members 29 secured together by vertical tubular members and dia nal braces. The vertical tubular members 0 these beams preferably have channel members 30 secured thereto against which the end rollers 14 of the auxiliary wing sections will engage. l il lach of the ufiiper and. lower transverse beams 6, 6 of t e main wings is provided with vertical flanges 31 adjacent its ends,- which are secured to flanged members 32 extending around the-vertical tubular portrans of beams 5, 5 The transverse beams beams 6, 6, each extend partly above and partly below the surface of the main wing indicated at 10, 10. The construction described and illustrated enables the use of a main wing which is com aratively light and small in its vertical imensions, the upwardly and downwardly directed stresses occasioned by the auxiliary wing members being all taken by the transverse beams 6, 6 and transmitted thereby to the forward and rear lcn itudinal beams 5, 5 Endwise thrust o the auxiliary wing member is taken directly by the beams 5, 5.

The auxiliary wing sections are shown in extended osition in full lines, the positions to which t y may be withdrawn w1thin the main wings eing indicated in dotted lines. As many of the transverse beams 6, 6 as are r uired may be provided, three of such beams eing illustrated as provided for each main wing, extending across the ends thereof and at points located somewhat inwardly from the ends.

It is, of course, obvious that the invention is equally ap licable to monoplanes and bi-' planes. It 's ould be understood that the invention is not limited strictly to the details of construction described but is as broad as isindicated b the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

a 1. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings havin forward and rear longitudinal beams an transverse beams secured to said longitudinal beams, said win s having interior spaces extending 'lon 'tu inally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces in said wings, adapted to be, extended laterall beyond the same,

said transverse beams .eing positioned to extend verticall outside the surface of said wings and arra ged to directly receive upwardly anddownwardlyi directed stresses from said a'uxiliai sections and transmit the same to said orward and rear longitudinal beams. p

*2. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and transverse simple beams secured to said 10 'tudinal beams, said wings haviii intenor spaces extending longitudinally t ereofand confined between said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary'wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces in said wings, adapted to be extended laterally beyond the same.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of a fuselage, wings extending laterally therefrom, said wings having forward and rear beams extending longitudinally thereof and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, said win having interior spaces extending lon itudmally' thereof and confined between said forward an sai longitudinal beams, auxiliary wingsections slidabl mounted within said spaces between said up or and lower beams and rear beams, and adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and means for .moving said auxiliary sections towards and away from ,the fusela e, said transverse beams extending par ly above and partly below the outer upper and lower surfaces of said wings.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams an upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, said wings having interior spaces extending longitudinally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abuttin against said forward and rear beams, sai

wing sections being adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and havin longitudinal beams extending between their up- .per and lower surfaces, with anti-friction devices'mounted on said transverse beams at oints adjacent said auxiliary wing section ongitudina-l beams.

55. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams,

' surfaces of said wings,

and

said win s having interior spaces extending Ion itudinally thereof and confined between sai longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abuttin against said forward and rear beams, sai wing sections being adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and having longitudinal beams extending between their upper and lower surfaces, with anti-friction devices positidned between said transverse beams and said wing section longitudinal beams, said transverse beams 'bein positioned to extend outside the upper an lower and being adapted to directly receive all upwardly and downwardly directed stresses from said wing sections and transmit the same to said wing forward and rear longitudinal beams.

6. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sect-ions slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abutting against said forward rear beams, said wing sections bein adapted to be extended laterally beyond sai wings, said transverse beams being of truss construction, extending above and below the upper and lower surfaces of said wings, and being adapted to directly receive all upwardly anddownwardly directed stresses from said wing sections.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New Ydrk, this 11th day of February A. D. 1922.

ALBERrs'. HEINRICH.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of a fuselage, wings extending laterally therefrom, said wings having forward and rear beams extending longitudinally thereof and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, said wings having interior spaces extending longitudinally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams, auxiliary wingrsections slidably mounted within said spaces between said up er and lower beams and said forward an rear beams, and adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and means for moving said auxiliary sections towards and away from ,the fuselage, said transverse beams extending partly above and partly below the outer upper and lower surfaces of said wings.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, said wings having interior spaces extending longitudinally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary Wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abutting against said forward and rear beams, said wing sections being adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and having longitudinal beams extending between their up- .per and lower surfaces, with anti-friction devices mounted on said transverse beams at points adjacent said auxiliary wing section longitudinal beams.

55. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams,

said win s having interior spaces extending lon itudmally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abuttin against said forward and rear beams, said wing sections being adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, and having longitudinal beams extending between their upper and lower surfaces, with anti-friction devices positioned between said transverse beams and said wing section longitudinal beams, said transverse beams bein posi tioned to extend outside the upper and lower surfaces of said wings, and being adapted to directly receive all upwardly and downwardly directed stresses from said wing sections and transmit the same to said wing forward and rear longitudinal beams.

6. In an aeroplane, the combination of laterally extending wings, said wings having forward and rear longitudinal beams and upper and lower transverse beams secured at their ends to said longitudinal beams, and auxiliary wing sections slidably mounted within said spaces between said upper and lower beams with their forward and rear edges abutting against said forward and rear beams, said wing sections bein" adapted to be extended laterally beyond said wings, said transverse beams being of truss construction, extending above and below the upper and lower surfaces of said wings, and being adapted to directly receive all up wardly anddownwardly directed stresses from said wing sections.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 11th day of February A. D, 1922.

ALBERT S. HEINRICH.

Certificate of .Correction.

It is hereby certified that in lmttersPatent No. 1.,558,089,granted October 20, 1925, upon the application of Albert S. Heinrich, of Freeport, New York, for an improvement in Aeroplanes, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as followsz'Page 3, line 68, claim 6, after the word beams insert the clause said wings having interior spaces extending longitudinally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams; and that the said Letters Patent should be read wi'thjthis correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of N oveniber, A. D. 192 5.

[snark] WM. A. KINNAN, Acting Gommisaioner of Patents.

Certificate Of Earrectian.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,538,055.).granted October 20, 1925, upon the up lication of Albert S. Heinrich, of Freeport, New York, for an improvement in Aeroplanes, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as followsz'Page 3, line 68, claim 6, after the word beams insert the clause said wings having interior spaces extending longitudinally thereof and confined between said longitudinal beams; and that the saidLetteis Patent should be read With'this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of November, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] \VM. A. KIN NAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

